Il y a d’abord la séparation des trois enceintes, *[i] l’enceinte centrale représentant une église, symbole de la Jérusalem Céleste. Le mot Iérusalim en slavon y est d’ailleurs ajouté, et ce n’est pas pour indiquer que le diskos appartenait à une église se trouvant géographiquement à Jérusalem. Puis, l’enceinte qui l’entoure, l’Église terrestre où poussent les arbres de la sainteté et se trouve aussi l’emblème du pouvoir royal terrestre (l’aigle bicéphale). Un anneau les sépare, et sur cet anneau il y a des oiseaux, oies ou cygnes. Le tout est entouré par un autre anneau, des eaux peuplées de poissons contenus dans un genre de branches, de palmes, ou la représentation de l’eau courante. C’est possible, car ce sont les flots de l’eau de vie.
In the Eastern Orthodox and Greek-Catholic Churches, the Paten is called a diskos. The diskos is usually more ornate than its Latin-Rite counterpart, and must always be made of gold or at least be gold-plated. The diskos may be engraved with an icon of Jesus Christ, the Nativity of Christ, a cross, or more frequently, an icon of the Theotokos. For Christians of the East the diskos symbolises the Virgin Mary, who received Christ into her womb, and gave him birth; and also the Tomb of Christ which received his body after the Crucifixion, and from which he resurrected. During the Divine Liturgy it is not only the Lamb (Host) that is placed on the diskos, but also particles to commemorate the Theotokos, the Saints, the living and the departed. Thus, on the diskos is represented the entire Church: the Church Militant and the Church Triumphant, arrayed around Christ. During the Consecration of a Church, a diskos is used to hold the relics of the saints which will be sealed in the Holy Table and antimension by the bishop.

In the usage of the Coptic Orthodox Church, the diskos usually has a flat bottom with no foot. Additionally, it has a raised edge, forming a relatively high rim, preventing particles of the offered elements from falling to the floor.